Saturday, May 26, 2012

More Cheating on the High-Stakes Test

I couldn't help but feel deja-vu when I read an article about elementary schools that cheat on high stakes tests, and how they were discovered. It seems that the intermediate school that these students fed into experienced drops some 15 times greater than average. Certain students were unable to speak English, never mind read or write at a proficient level (which, according to their elementary scores, they could do).

I have taken informal polls of my students to ascertain which schools are cheating, since they are very obviously doing so, and it seems that I have already sussed out the feeder schools that do and do not cheat. We don't need private investigators and hard-hitting journalists to tell us this, you just need common sense. Since my job depends on the students' growth, it concerns me. Those of us who teach sixth grade can tell you we are in trouble. I asked to loop to seventh grade, and part of the reason is the inflated fifth grade scores that are going to kill my teacher data report. This high-stakes testing is so wrong any way you look at it. It's sick.

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I have crooked teeth from my parents and a wacky arm from a stroke. My daughter describes me as funny and smart, while she describes the other Linda from Mommy and Me as pretty and nice. So, I'm not pretty nor nice. I love the French people, French language (I'm fluent), French food, culture, architecture... In short, all of France! I'll read anything in front of me. I know more about middle school math than, well, anyone, INCLUDING my middle school math teacher husband (let's see if he reads this). I'm not happy if I'm not painting something.